Assassin and Vanadis
by AnonymousAK
Summary: After an assassination attempt on one of the Seven War maidens ends in faliure, Eleonora offers her attacker one chance at redemption and salvation. Crappy summary on a whim, OC story. Not 100% sure of a continuation, but hope you all enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**So recently, I watched the show Lord Marksman and Vanadis after it released it's English Dub. I was interested in it, so I wrote this story on a whim and see how it pans out.**

 **Because of my constant hectic schedule, on top of the fact I have at least five other stories, I am not able to update as much as I want. Hell, I might not even continue with this if it doesn't seem to get attention.**

 **So just enjoy leave the reviews, and if it grows more popular, I might consider writing more and more.**

 **So without further ado, here's Vanadis and the Assassin.**

* * *

The bright warmth of the morning sun shined upon the young man's face, making him grimace and groan until he woke up. As he tried to sit up, he fell back down at the weight of the young girl's head occupying his chest. A bar maiden he flirted with last night offered to take him to her room upstairs. At first, all he did was give her a massage and she paid him in his favorite booze. Her chocolate brown hair that reached her back along with her cute face and large bosom.

Her brown eyes that matched her hair fluttered open and smiled as he was the first thing she saw. "Good morning."

"Morning, how'd you sleep?"

"Same as last night, amazing."

Her lips pressed against his and her fingers ran across his unruly blonde hair. His hands ran from her waist to her shapely hips and gripped her round butt. The two engaged in a passionate lip lock before he eventually stopped himself from being worked up. "Sorry babe, I got to work."

He could see the disappointment in her eyes and smiled. "Sorry." He got up and got himself dressed as she watched him, resting her head on her hands.

He wore a black sleeveless coat that reached his knees and white pants, with a silver and black cross around his neck that lied on his chest. He opened the two story window and was ready to jump out before she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his neck. "You'll be back tonight won't you?" She whispered in his ears before licking his earlobe seductively.

"Where else can I get better alcohol? Served by someone so beautiful." She suddenly yelped as he disappeared and reappeared behind her, pressing his body against her and groped her from behind kissing her neck. "Where else would I get great ale?" He turned her neck and bit her earlobe. Her vision white from pleasure, the sensation made her weak to her knees and made her lose consciousness. He carried her back into bed and took a minute to admire her amazing body after pulling the blankets over her. He opened the window. He climbed out and like a spider, climbed up the wall until he hit the rooftop, where his tools for today's assignment lied in waiting.

Some nails, a hammer, two pieces of lumber, about thirty feet of rope, and several knives that were readily dipped in poison and tucked in special hidden compartments of his coat for easy access. He gripped his two most prized possessions, a long curved sword with a red hilt and black sheath, and a short sword with a red center a gem and a chain link tassel was hilted to his back. He tucked the sword in his belt and assured that he had everything he needed. From where he was standing, he could see a good view of the valley. He could see a few hundred silver dots riding horses making their way towards it, and pulled out a telescope. He focused until he confirmed sighting of his target leading the battalion. "Found you, Eleonora Viltaria."

He jumped from building to building and reached the valley in under minutes. He saw the army reaching a gorge and sprinted a good enough distance from the top of the ravine. Even with about 45 kgs worth of stuff, he was still able to run faster than their horses, and reached a point in the path it would've taken twenty minutes for the cavalry men to reach. He jumped and slid down the mountain and reached the bottom. It didn't take long for him to get to work.

He could have easily lied on the side of the road in waiting and lied down. However, this method was effective to get the soldiers to drop their guards. As he got ready for work, he took several deep breaths, and completely cleared his mind. This was so that there were no forms of complications. Like a hawk hunting mice, he set only his sights only on his white furred mouse.

He was a freelance assassin, and he was good at what he did. His policy was no matter what job, who it was, or whatever complications there was; if the pay was good, than no matter if he had to go through tooth and nail, he would ensure the target was dead. He found himself excited as of a few days ago, his clientele offered a rather handsome amount for the head of one of the War Maidens.

Even before becoming an assassin, he knew of their reputation. All seven of these women. Their power was rumored to be legendary. Their beauty was described to be sinful, damn near god-like. And their strength was believed to be monstrous.

Even if it was true, and they lived up to their name, he was nevertheless thrilled at the thought of facing a strong opponent. "This'll be fun."

* * *

An army of over 500 cavalrymen in armor riding on horses that too donned protective armor marched across the valley. The one leading them was a girl of unimaginable beauty, similar to that of a goddess. Her hair was white as snow, while her eyes were as red as dazzling rubies. An ornamental longsword was strapped to her side, and was mounted to a horse as white as her hair.

"We should be arriving back soon, Lim."

"Yes…" Her second in command, wearing a silver suit of armor looked ahead at the valley they were crossing, when she saw something that caught her attention. "My Lady, do you see that?"

Her commander looked ahead and caught on to what it she saw was. She kicked her horse signaling it to stop, letting out a loud whinny, her men followed suit and stopped behind her. "What in the hell?"

Standing in the middle of the path of the valley was a wooden cross. It was common that people who died in the valley had crosses put up for them, but this wasn't a gravestone, it was a crucifixion. Hanging on the cross was a young man who looked to be in his late teens, about the same age as Eleonora. He had shaggy, short blonde hair, and wore all black. His hands and arms were brutally nailed to the wooden beams with the ends hammered on the other side to keep them from being removed. There were buzzards picking at his corpse and digging into his flesh.

"Is he one of ours?" The red eyed girl asked, to which the subordinate named Lim shook her head. Upon closer look, she saw a black tattoo on his neck that looked like a black sun.

"That insignia, I've seen it somewhere."

"He doesn't look like a soldier, or a civilian for that matter. I've never seen him in our camps. Judging by the attire, he looks like an assassin of sorts."

"Lim, let's take him down."

"What?"

Even if he was an enemy, Eleonora hated crucifixions as punishments and would rather bury her opponents in death than humiliate them any farther. That and she had no resentment towards mercenaries and assassins, and felt like they do not deserve this treatment. She decided she would give him a quick, simple, and proper burial.

Lim saw her serious eyes and sighed before ordering a few men to bring the stranger down. It took ten armored soldiers to lower him down, one to pull the spear out, and one to pull the nails from off his arms.

As they did that, Lim was deep in thought. It was common to be crucified for crimes against their hometown or their government, as well as by bandits, who would leave them in valleys where the vultures would pick at their remains. The one thing that bugged her was if he was in fact robbed, killed, and hung to be humiliated, why was he still wearing clothes instead of being stripped naked?

After pulling all the nails off, one of the soldiers lifted the boy's head seeing if there were any signs of life at all. "Lady Eleonora, he appears to be-" Blood seeped and spilled from the slits in his armor. He was unable to finish as there was a knife lodged in his throat, silencing him instantly.

Every one of them realized a second too late that it was a trap.

The young man they assumed was dead opened his eyes, revealing crimson red eyes. Eyes so red that compared to the eyes of the Maiden whose eyes were red as gems; his were red as the blood he shed from the nine men he killed instantly. Three died from daggers to their head, two had their necks snapped, and the last four, who all tried to gang up on him, met their end as he picked up his curved sword and dashed past them in a blur. It took them a second to realize that they had been bisected after they fell forward dead. He was able to cut through their armor like butter.

"He was alive?" The white haired commander's eyes widened in both shock and surprise, standing there in disbelief. She was about to pull out her sword. However, Lim gestured her to put it away. "There's no need my lady." Lim took control, brandishing her sword and pointing it at the assailant. "Protect our Lady, I want him captured alive!"

The troops advanced and surrounded him, swords and spears in hand. The assailant's cold eyes completely lacking in remorse showed no fear as he held out his blade that was thinner in width like a katana.

The assailant ran towards the armored men with nothing but his blade and swung at the lot of them, his blade sliced their armor like flesh, and their flesh as if it was paper, all of them dropped dead moments after being cut. His swiftness and reflexes defied logic, as he was able to evade the swords of several hundred men and mow down their owners with just as much ease.

Swatting away at the soldiers and their horses, the single blade that was no bigger than their swords and maces mutilated them beyond recognition. In under a minute, he decimated hundreds of armored men with very little ease.

"This wouldn't have happened if you had all gotten out of my way." His voice was deep and cold as his eyes.

Eleonora's surprise soon turned to anger, while Lim, whose role was to be calm and unnerved at the death of her subordinates, found herself surprised at their opponent's strength. "Is he…human?"

His blood red eyes then set themselves on his target. One of the seven known as the War Maidens. "The Wind Princess, Eleonora Viltaria…die." He lunged with great speed towards his white-headed target with his sword to the side ready to kill.

"Lady Eleonora, watch out!" Lim appeared in between them and blocked his swing with her sword, shielding Ellen and holding her own. This only lasted a few seconds however.

"You're in my way." For some reason, his quiet voice made icy chills run down Lim's spine. Her concentration was thrown off, allowing him to send her flying to the side of the cliff with a punch made out sheer raw strength that far surpassed her own. Her armor dented and distorted the moment of impact of his fist.

"Lim!" Eleonora drew out her long sword as her assassin swung his blade ready to kill her, when suddenly; he fell to the side as something struck him. One of her soldiers who had lost the lower half of his body, with a bow in his hand, shot an arrow that pierced his skull. "Forgive me for dying, my lady."

Those were his final words, but he was able to die with honor protecting his commander until the end. At least that is what he thought. He died before he could see the assassin stand up dizzily, grip the arrow with his right hand and pluck it from his head. He took a deep breath and snapped it with his fist.

"No way." Not only did he take out five hundred men alone, he just survived a shot straight through the head. It was at that moment, Eleonora noticed that his wound was starting to vanish. "Who are you?"

"I don't need to tell my name to a dead woman…Now die."

He slashed, ready to kill. Eleonora blocked his attack with her long sword, and like Lim was able to hold her own. They went back and forth pushing each other off, moving from defensive to offensive.

" _She's strong."_

" _He's strong."_

The assassin jumped back a good distance and reached into his pocket, throwing out several daggers with the speed and velocity similar to throwing darts.

"Let's go Arifar!" She suddenly said. A strange, clear aura surrounded her sword. The man's daggers stopped several inches from her face, as if blocked by an invisible wall. Whatever it was, sent them in different directions. All of them ended up piercing the side of the cliffs.

"As an assassin, you're prepared to die right?"

The assassin cricked his neck and held his blade up to his head, pointing it right at her. Eleonora jumped off her horse and nudged it forward, allowing it to gain a distance as Eleonora decided to face him head on. "What is your name?"

As he talked, the assassin narrowed his eyes as his killing intent slowly began to rose. "I told you, there's no use telling a dead woman."

Just like before, Eleonora's sword reacted. Except it's attention was directed towards the sword in her assailant's hands. It looked like a normal blade with a red hilt, but for some reason, it made her sword shake. ' _No matter what, don't let that sword cut you."_

That was what it said to her, and for good reason. She too could sense an ominous feeling coming from it. Anger, hatred, resentment, greed, bloodlust, and killing intent oozed from its metal.

Running at her with superhuman speed and swinging his blade, their swords crossed and clashed. Both of them were well versed in swordsmanship, but Eleonora noticed his techniques and styles. He blocked and dodged her strikes all while aiming for her. She found it odd that not once did he attempt to go for her vitals or her head, but her legs and arms that she was cautious to block. Not only was his skills with a sword on par with her, but his reflexes and agility surpassed her by leaps and bounds.

The assassin wasted no time, disappeared from her sight, only to reappear behind her, and released every bit of his bloodlust in order to stun her. Eleonora turned around with surprise in her eyes. A bead of sweat rolled down her head. She did not take her eyes off him and yet it was as if he teleported. His bloodlust was her main concern. She was able to unnerve her opponents and the occasional quarrel between two soldiers by releasing her own, but the feeling he gave her made her feel grave fear for the first time in her life.

It happened almost instantly. Just as he was about to kill her, he felt the wind tighten around him, and his body exploded from the barrage of razor sharp winds that caught him from all directions.

"BLAGH!" His body made a sick splashing sound as blood sprayed all across the terrain.

"That killing intent." Eleonora was surprised at that and looked to her sword. "Did you feel it too?" She asked to which it hummed in response.

This wasn't the first time she had been targeted by assassins, but all of them were novices who were unable to hide their presence and were about as stealthy as a boar. Their bloodlust and killing intent were weak to where it would feel like a bee sting. His bloodlust on the other hand was on a different level, as if a snake or something worse was about to strike her from behind and release its most lethal of venom. Something of this caliber could only come from an assassin who could kill with less effort than it took to breathe. Despite being so young, it felt like she was facing someone with years of experience. It almost felt like she was clashing with the Grim Reaper.

She looked behind her at what was left of him. He was in mangles, his torso and head, slightly intact, were missing a few chunks, his neck was cut so deep he was one clip from being completely beheaded. He lost his eye, and his severed limbs looked like potato peelings while they were in odd angles. His guts and internal organs started sliding out of the deep cut in his stomach.

"I won't lie. Your skills are something praiseworthy. Probably would have been better to have you as my ally. But you chose this line of work, so I expect you're ready for the afterlife."

"Damn…it-"

Eleonora's eyes widened in complete shock hearing him. "You're still alive?"

As he talked, she saw his wounds slowly but surely regenerating, the chunks of flesh missing grew back almost instantly, and his eye returned. His severed neck stitched itself back into place. His limbs began to reattach themselves and grow new skin. His organs started retreating back into his stomach, which soon closed up as if an invisible force was sowing it back together. Eleonora could hear the popping of his bones and cracks that came with it, and realized that every one of his injuries disappeared.

A bead of sweat ran down Eleonora's head seeing that. "You're joking right?"

"Lady Eleonora-"

"Lim!" Eleonora turned to her, and was amazed that she survived such a hit. "Thank goodness you're alright."

Her helmet being broken, she was forced to take it off, revealing herself to be a beautiful young girl with blonde hair in a ponytail, with a serious look on her face. There was a trickle of blood running down her head, and she held her arm, which was broken from the impact with the mountains. She had no idea how she was alive.

"Yes, unfortunately I can't say the same about our men." She said with regret in her voice. She looked towards the assassin and saw that he had no visible wounds, but was passed out. "Did you kill him?"

"Unconscious…Lim, tie him up and let's take him back."

"What?" She asked.

"He was just ripped to shreds, and he's still breathing. His healing ability is not human. Let us take him back. I have some questions that I want to ask him."

* * *

 **To be continued…I hope**


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, so here's Chapter Two.**

 **In a nutshell, it's pretty short, but with school kicking my ass with assignments and essays, not to mention trying to hold down two jobs, I figure it's now or never.**

xxx

After the assassination attempt ending in a failure, Eleonora and Limalisha, along with the few remaining soldiers that survived, returned to their army camp a week late, and with less than fifty soldiers, all injured. The town near the canyon couldn't provide them with the necessary supplies to carry the deceased. They didn't have any carriages and a majority of their horses were killed during the attack. Without anything to carry them, the soldiers who died, wrapped in sheets given to them by the neighboring town, were buried in a large pit. They were delayed their return to camp by a week. The ratio of soldiers who perished was 10:1.

The one responsible for the deaths of their comrades was tied up with several chains and was dragged across the barren ground for the entire three days it took for them to return. On the side of Eleonora's horse were two of his swords. One was a short sword with a red gem and a chain tassel while one looked long and slender with a rather foreign design. On her neck was the silver cross that the assassin wore. She took it as a spoils of battle.

The assassin was unconscious for the majority of the trip. The times he was awake didn't last long as the surviving soldiers put him through hell. Kicking, spitting, and trampling him with their horses until he passed out again, he didn't say a word the entire time.

It only got worse for him the moment they entered the camp and they threw him in their torture chambers where they kept prisoners. His hands were bound by chains and held up, while his legs were run with multiples stakes to the ground from his feet to mid-calf.

Without her commander's permission, Lim oversaw the interrogation and watched him being beaten and whipped by soldiers until he hacked enough blood to fill a bucket. This process has been going on for three whole days.

One of the soldiers who survived the attack, a young man with long black hair, who carried minimal injuries savagely punched him not caring whether or not he died. He pulled him by the hair and spat in his face. "Alright you, start talking! Who gave you the order to kill Lady Eleonora?"

"…" The attacker simply stared dimly at him with red eyes blank as paper. His breathing was shallow, but at the very least he was alive. Eleonora gave them strict orders not to kill him.

The silence he gave irritated all of them, signaling the guards to beat him mercilessly. These soldiers were the ones who survived his attack with little injuries, and took it upon themselves to get revenge for their comrades who perished.

The prisoner was kneeling on the ground as he was pummeled with armored fists that bruised and battered his face. "This is for my friends, asshole!" The soldier with long black hair took his head and smashed it several times against the wall, splattering brain and blood against the stone cold, damp surface. Teeth fell out of his mouth as blood started to fill it.

"That's enough, Rurick. Lady Eleonora ordered us to keep him alive."

That comment made the soldier grit his teeth and kick him across the face. "This bastard killed our comrades, our Lady's men, and she wants to keep him alive?"

Lim nodded. "I understand your frustration, but those are still her orders."

"Ele-onora Vil…tar…ia," The both of them heard him suddenly mutter something.

"He can still speak with his mouth bloody?"

"I'll talk…but only to her." He made his demands and stuck by them.

The one soldier named Rurick got in his face. "You have some balls thinking you can order us arou-" His anger was his undoing as a sudden voice made his body shiver.

"What do you two think you're doing?"

Lim, Rurick, and even their prisoner looked up as they were face to face with the Vanadis herself. Even in a damp, dark cell such as the one they were in, her beauty was positively radiating.

Lim looked both baffled and at the same time fearful. "Lady Eleonora, how-"

"When I couldn't find you, I went to see how our prisoner was. But when I saw that he was missing, along with the fact that I couldn't find Rurick, it wasn't hard to figure it out."

The prisoner looked up at her with surprise in his eyes, which soon turned into a grin as he chuckled. "You actually came, I have to say-" He looked up at Rurick with a rather devious smile. "You really got lucky."

"What are you talking abou-" Rurick and Lim widened their eyes in great shock as their prisoner proceeded to pull his arms and break his shackles, the iron broke like twigs and the chains like string. He pulled the iron spikes holding his legs and stood up in seconds. The two of them were so shocked they were unable to move, while Eleonora looked both surprised and curious.

"The moment you got in my face, I was about to grab your jaw and grip it shut. Your voice is annoying and your breath stinks. I was going to keep you as a hostage until Eleonora showed up." That was when they all noticed that the holes in his legs were healed and closed up, without even a drop of blood left. The bruises on his face quickly began to fade and as he grinned at their pale faces, they noticed all of his teeth grew back.

"What kind of a monster is he?" Both Lim and Rurick held their swords out ready to take him on.

"You two really want to die painfully?" He took his right hand and flexed his fingers, mimicking an animal's claws. "I'll be more than happy to-" At the same time, he placed his left hand over his chest, close to his neck as if he was scratching himself. In an instant, his eyes widened and his bloodlust began to ooze out of his body as he readied himself to rip their throats out. "Where the fuck is my cross?!"

"That won't be necessary." Eleonora suddenly stood in front of her two subordinates and faced him. Their red eyes met each other's. One was full of confidence, while the other one was full of killing intent. "Don't worry, I have it, along with your swords..." That calmed him down only slightly to suppress his incredible killing intent. He looked up at her with rage in his eyes, as if he was forcing himself not to kill her despite the fact he wanted to very badly. Eleonora looked up and down his body and got a good look at him. He was incredibly toned and muscular to where it was surprising that he looked younger than her. His hair was unruly, buy at the same time was weirdly charming. All he wore were the standard black pants given to prisoners that was shredded and filled with holes. "Lim, Rurick, I'm going to need you two to leave." She turned to her two generals with a displeased look. "I'm going to talk to him alone."

"What exactly are you playing at?" The assassin asked.

"I simply want to have a conversation. Nothing more."

All three of them, even the assassin himself was shocked at this. "Lady Eleonora," Rurick yelled.

"We cannot follow such an order!" Lim yelled out her objection.

This was short lived as Eleonora glared at the two of them with anger in her eyes. "Both of you can expect a severe punishment for disobedience."

"My lady, how can you trust this man? He tried to assassinate you!"

Eleonora interrupted Ruricks disapproval. "I have absolutely no trust in him. However, I seem to have leverage-" She turned towards him with a smug look. "That cross seems important to you. If you comply and hear me out, I'll give it back to you. No tricks."

The two stared each other with their piercing red eyes, the both of them slowly started releasing their bloodlust towards each other. Cold sweat started running down both Lim and Rurick. "Lim, Rurick, get out now."

The both of them gritted their teeth and scowled. They wanted to stay to back her up in the worst case scenario, but at the same time, the frightening amount of killing intent made them submit and they left with looks of regret on their faces.

After a minute, the assassin looked behind her. "Their gone, I can't hear their heartbeats or breathing."

"You can do that?" Eleonora asked curiously.

"Call it one of the many techniques you need to learn to do my job. I lost track of how many times targets tried to play dead by holding their breath or trying to slow the rhythm of the heart. What they don't know is that when they hold their breath, their hearts beat slower but grow louder. If they try to still their heart, their breathing becomes shallow. My ears can pick up both at the same time. I can even get a general idea of how a person is feeling based on the rhythm of their heart. For example, you…your heartbeat is surprisingly normal despite the situation your in."

"I've experienced battle before. I've killed people as well, if anything we both have that in common."

What she didn't know was how that comment offended him in more ways than one. That was made evident when he slashed his hand at her in a manner similar to a karate chop.

Just as his hand was in vicinity to her throat, a blade of wind proceeded to cut his hand clean off, falling limply on the floor. His eyes didn't show any pain or discomfort, and more annoyance and anger.

"You and I are nothing alike. You kill because that is simply the nature of war. All you've done is swing that sword of yours and slash people to their graves. Knives, wires, poison, my bare hands. I could tell you so many ways to kill a man that it would amaze you."

Sighing, he picked up his severed hand and placed it back on the stump on his arms. Slowly, but surely, it began stitching and reattaching itself back on their until he was able to flex and move his fingers. Eleonora looked on in fascination.

"Do you mind if I ask for your name."

"…" The assassin was silent for a while, until he finally answered. "Call me Kurai." He scowled and asked his next question. "What did you want to talk about?"

Saying that, Eleonora realized she had gone off topic due to her curiosity and cleared her throat. "Allow me to get straight to the point." At that moment, she unsheathed her sword and pointed at right at him. With a confident smile, she said.

"Alright then, Mr. Kurai I want you to join my army."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Like I said before, relatively short.**

 **I'm trying to update all of my stories, so odds are, they're all going to be short like this if I can manage.**

 **Still, I hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave your comments.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Come again?"

"It's simple, I want you to join my army." Eleonora said one more time while the assassin named Kurai nodded.

"I see, now let me answer that with another question. Are you stupid? Did you forget I killed over a majority of your men, and that you're my target."

Eleonora wasn't offended at all and simply smirked. "Not at all, in fact I want to kill you for it. However, your regenerative ability has peaked my interest you could say. I'll make you a lieutenant. As well as-"

"Let me make this clear, I'm an assassin, not a fucking mercenary! The only reason I haven't raped and killed you is because you have something I want!"

Eleonora gave an evil smirk and pulled a necklace from her pocket twirling the black string around her fingers. "You mean this? Got to say, I don't know why you keep such junk."

"You little bitch." If she was trying to provoke him, she exceeded hundreds of times over as Kurai was at the utmost limits of what very little patience he had and had to grip his right hand tight to stop him from desperately killing her. Calling his most prized possession junk was like pushing him over the edge, and he held on to keep from falling. To her surprise, he began to grin. "You're just as cold hearted as I am. I'm actually beginning to like you."

Smiling, Eleonora tossed him his necklace and he caught it, placing it on over his head and around his neck. "You do know my services aren't free, and they sure as hell ain't cheap."

His rate for assassinations varied depending on the target and the difficulty of the job, which for him wasn't much. Factors such as the mood he's in or what little sympathy he carried towards the client was what determined whether the price would be worth half a town's revenue, or three times the taxes within a kingdom.

"Alright then, how does 500 gold coins sound?"

The client who hired him to kill Eleonora offered him three times that amount, the highest he's ever heard of, but to give his service towards someone was worth a whole lot more than killing a monarch. "Why don't you go fu-"

"A month?" Eleonora interrupted and added that little part on there

His eye's widened in shock and surprised. Eleonora crossed her arms loving the dumbstruck look on his face.

His shock turned into a wide grinned smile. "You sure know how to speak my language." He scratched the back of his head. "However, if you want my service, there is one and only one condition that is absolutely non negotiable."

Eleonora crossed her arms. "If it's in my power."  
"You saw it didn't you, my regenerative ability. Don't go asking questions, and when it comes to my business, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong. I decide whether or not to tell you."

Eleonora clicked her tongue. She was hoping to ask questions on how he was able to survive despite the horrifying injuries he received from her. At the same time, she could make use of his strength and sighed. "Fine. Now then, what weapons are you good with?"

Kurai racked his brain and counted with his fingers. "Let's see, other than my bare hands, I'm pretty handy with about anything I can get my hands on."

"Really now. Than let's just see about that."

* * *

Outside on the courtyard, Eleonora took her newest recruit to the training grounds to assess his skills in different types of armed and unarmed combat.

First it was martial arts and hand to hand, which lasted in a second when Eleonora found herself flipped on her back and a finger right at her throat. She was grateful that he wasn't her enemy at the moment or else she would've been killed.

It was because of that and her previous experience witnessing his swordsmanship that she skipped practicing his skills with a sword.

Last came a bow and arrow. He told her how he could hit a man's head from several hundred meters away, maybe even farther as long as he had a good visual.

She set him up with a practice target and a range of one-hundred meters which even to an amatuer was child's play.

One of the soldiers brought a bow and four arrows. The man had delicate features and beautiful, shiny black hair reached down to his shoulders. If his memory served, his name was Rurick.  
After Kurai received the bow and arrow from him, he sighed seeing both the man's look of utter hatred and disgust, as well as the bow he was given.  
"What a piece of crap..."  
The material was hardly suitable, the wood it was made from was in the process of rotting and the condition of the grip was poor. The stringing, too, was poorly done. There was also some warping. It was clear what his intention was.

Despite its "craftsmanship", Kurai could work with it. He has certainly used much worse in the past.

He turned to Eleonora and yelled out pointing to Rurick. "Do you mind if he stands in front of there? I can't shoot unless the target's breathing."

Rurick cringed while Eleonora chuckled. Lim merely sighed. "Request denied."

He clicked his tongue and readied himself.

Nocking the first arrow with the string and pulling it tight, taking aim, he released the first arrow and hit the target off the mark. The second shot flew and never hit the target. The third one was too short and never even made it.

His ears could pick up the laughter from those watching. He could feel their judge filled gazes pricking his skin. However, none of that mattered to him. One arrow left.

He pulled it ready to shoot. However, he picked up rapid footsteps. East of his position, above him. He looked up and saw a shadow running on the rooftop of the castle like structure, ducking and hiding behind the stone statues as he ran.

"Another assassin?" He muttered to himself. He focused his eyes and got a closer look. He could see just a glimpse in his hands was his weapon, an arbalest. They were mechanized bows that could be shot through a trigger. Although they weren't accurate, they could be shot with enough force to pierce armor and shields. In his years, he only knew one place that manufactured those weapons. "It can't be."

Wit his arrow already nocked, he took aim just as the other assassin took aim of his target, who was sitting with her blade, her white hair swishing in the breeze.

He only had one shot, it was to either save her or kill him. He could predict where the arrow would go using its trajectory and shoot it down at the cost of his own, leaving nothing to strike down the assassin.

Thinking it through, he aimed his arrow at the assassin.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lim yelled as she and Ellen noticed his change of aim and looked where he was pointing. As they saw the assassin, he released his own arrow towards her.

Ellen simply remained calm. "Now Arifal."

It was like before facing him, the wind acted as a shield and protected her and Lim from the armor piercing arrow, the wood splintered and shattered while the arrowhead dented and bent to where it was no longer lethal.

The commotion caused the rampart guards to finally notice the assailant's presence and give chase. "I want that man captured alive." Lim ordered.

Confirming her safety, Kurai readied his arrow as the assassin made his escape, keeping his eye on him. "Hey, do you want me to kill him?"

"Do you really think you should be-"

"Bitch, was I talking to you, or your boss?" Kurai rudely cut her off while keeping his eye on the target, Lim grinded her teeth in hatred.

Eleonora sighed. "I'd prefer alive for questioning."

Kurai clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Fine, just the Achilles."

He took aim, and they all noticed he was pointing away from the target.

"You dumbass! It's not even in his range!" Rurick yelled out.

"Wanna bet? Loser treats the winner to food and drinks, as much as they want."

Rurick smirked and laughed. "Fine! If I win, you have to buy for all the men here! We'll bleed you dry!"

"500...600...700...now."

Kurai simply smirked. He released his arrow and all of them watched as it aimed a good distance behind his target. Lim scowled while Eleonora simply watched with interest. Rurick was grinning at the thought of free drinks.

"3...2...1…" Kurai holding his bow in his left hand raised his right finger and pointed it west of his direction.

The arrow flew high into the arrow. It was then that everyone saw it form an arc in the air and fly westward at a blinding speed towards the target as if a supernatural force made it change directions. When the arrow disappeared. the cloaked assassin tumbled on the ground, a loud yell of pain echoed across the ground.

Shock and disbelief spread across the ground. Lim and Rurick's eyes were wide. "Impossible, that had to be at least six hundred meters. And with that crappy bow"

"No, it was more like seven hundred."

"Didn't I already say, if the targets breathing, kill or capture, there's nothing I can't shoot."

"Lady Eleonora.." Lim said to her. She had mixed emotions regarding their latest recruit. She hated him for obvious reasons.

"I know Lim," She looked down and noticed Eleonora's hands were shaking. She just witnessed another reason why she didn't want him as her enemy.

"Hey Eleonora, that assassin, I have a few questions for him. Once I'm done, I'm taking the night off, your buddy here owes me drinks." He gave Rurick an evil grin. "If I remember, it's as much as I can handle."

* * *

 **Another short chapter, but hey, what can you do. I'm hoping to update this and Demon of the Black Dragon pretty soon.**


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